‘They broke into my yard’: Neighbor's kids damage resident's fence after they jump over it to retrieve a ball, resident confronts the kids' mom, who refuses to take the blame

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 28, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

Every kid who ever played in a backyard experienced the exhilarating and quite silly moment when their ball got thrown over to their neighbors' yard. There you were, kicking a ball back and forth, when all of a sudden one of you kicks it a bit too hard and the ball goes flying over the fence into an unfamiliar territory.

If you're lucky, then you know that the neighbors next door are cool people and have no problem with you walking over and getting the ball back. But sometimes, your neighbors simply do not want strangers to walk into their property, and you must respect that.

The kids in the story below, however, did not respect their neighbors' right to privacy at all. When the same thing happened to their ball, they decided to try whatever way possible to go over their fence and get the ball back.

When the neighbor saw their doings in the security camera, they were not happy with what they saw. When they confronted the kids' mom, years of neighborly disputes over their properties came rushing back.

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  • 01
    Kids standing on a fanced gate
    via LSOphoto

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    Neighbor's kids forced their way into my yard by pushing through a non-entry point of my fence, mother did not seem to understand my concerns for her kid's safety and my property rights.

    Neighbors have been angry with us ever since a property line survey (we hired it) revealed that not only were the neighbors under the impression their yard is smaller than they originally thought but they have a rock garden that encroaches into our property.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 03
    Ever since this lot survey was done (in August 2025) they have not taken any concerns about their children's behavior seriously.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 04
    We built a fence this month (October 2025), it's just a wire panel fence with t-posts, but it's permitted and approved by the city.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 05
    We needed something built fast because the neighbors kept trying to mow the lawn and whack past what they now know is the true property line and we needed to stop that so they couldn't try to claim adverse possession.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 06
    I think their home's previous owner built the encroaching rock garden, but still, if it were me in their situation, I would start removing it because that the type of person I am.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 07
    Anyway, since we built the fence, their kids have significantly less lawn space to play. Their swingset now sits only about 5 feet from my fence (which is setback 2 feet from the property line) and the parents have not moved the playset to give their kids more space, and I'm not sure they can because they erected a massive above-ground swimming pool 2 years ago that consumes most of their tiny backyard.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 08
    There is also a giant beautiful maple that sit in the middle of the remaining open grass space that they have and then the rock garden borders the edge of a stormwater retaining pond at the very back of our lots.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 09
    These lots are only 0.37 acres each. So here is the problem. The boys stand by the swings and kick their soccer balls purposely to hit a gate I have on that side of the fence.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 10
    Now, I have kids myself, indoor kids, but I don't have an issue with kids playing outside (I grew up in the 90s and was outside all the time).
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 11
    What I know of their boys is that they like to push boundaries and then run to mommy, who defends them.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 12
    Well, what I knew would happen happened. They kicked a ball at the fence, and it went over.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 13
    No big deal, I would have just thrown it over the next time I took my dog outside.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 14
    However, the boys wanted it back. My backyard security camera caught the following incident: The ball goes over the fence, the younger boy attempts to open my gate, which is locked, then older boy hoists his little brother onto his back to try and help him climb over the wire, but they abandon that plan.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 15
    They then walk into my garden on the side of my house and the little boy pushes his body through the wire where it meets the house to retrieve the ball and then he returns the way he came.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 16
    The wire fence was bent significantly from him doing this. I have photos and video of everything.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 17
    When I saw this footage, I sent a text message to their mom with screengrabs of the camera footage to prove the incident to her. "Mom's Name, our security cam just caught something alarming.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 18
    The boys were kicking their soccer balls at our fence gate and one ball scalled the fence and landed in our yard.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 19
    The guys first attempted to open our gate, which is locked, to retrieve the ball but when that didn't work- Older Boy Name attempted to lift his brother over the top.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 20
    They then sent Younger Boy Name to forcefully push his body through the wire by the house where he was able to entire our yard to retrieve the ball, he then pushed himself back the way he came.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 21
    'NO TRESPASSING' sign on a gate
    via Timotale

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 22
    This is a huge safety liability for us. If their toys land over our fence, I have no problem tossing them back over whenever I am free to do so, I might not be able to immediately but within reasonable time.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 23
    The boys forcefully entering is not acceptable and could cause us big problems if they get hurt.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 24
    Please let them know they can not do this again." Her reply was kind of what I expected.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 25
    She did not apologize and made some weird excuse that I can't wrap my head around.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 26
    - "Obviously, we've never had anyone with a fence or care if we were in their yard and especially have it locked.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 27
    I told the boys and the girls and our kids Grandma who was over at the time and thought it was ok that if anything goes into your yard do not go get it." This happened yesterday.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 28
    I put a no trespassing sign on my fence gate facing their side this morning. I bought a no trespassing sign ahead of time, knowing the boys would try to enter once they discovered my gate would be locked.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 29
    TLDR; 1. I paid for a land survey; the surveyor revealed that the neighbors have a rock garden that encroaches over the property line into my backyard 2.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 30
    Neighbors thought the rock garden ended at the property line and designed their backyard for their kids around it, but now know their yard is smaller than they thought.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 31
    3. I built a fence 4. I got a security camera in the backyard 5. Kids broke into my yard, I sent a message to their mom saying it was unacceptable and to not happen again, mom responds she thinks it's weird my gate on my fence for my property is locked and that the kids grandma said is was okay to enter my yard- or break in?..
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 32
    i dont know. 6. I put a no trespassing sign on my gate that faces their side of the fence(their yard) the next morning after the break in.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 33
    What do I do from here? The mom and dad do not like me now because of the lot survey, the fence and that I have a camera.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid
  • 34
    I do not dislike her kids or kids at all, I just wish she cared about if she were in my position, which knowing her for 5 years, she would be a tiger about all of this.
    via TheGarbagePatchKid

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aita neighbors kids house neighborhood fence yard neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories reddit story petty entitled Reddit mom children entitled people
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